Against All Odds
by paris1601
Summary: Aya finds the nerve to express his feelings for Ken, right when things fall apart for Weiss. Slash. AyaxKen. YojixKen. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer**: Weiss Kreutz is not mine. The story is fictional and all similarities to people and events in real life are coincidences. Don't Speak was performed by No Doubt._

**_Guide to the story:_**

Narration and dialogue

**Lyrics**

_Thoughts_

_**Author's Notes:** This was supposed to be a one-shot, but since it spanned fifteen pages, I thought I'd break It up into three the same way I did when I first posted it on wkff three years ago. Shonen ai. Some spoilers on the OAV and the series end, I think. Flames are accepted, but reviews are more appreciated._

**_Against All Odds_**  
  
**You and me  
**  
It had taken long months of deliberation, but finally, he decided it was time. Fujimiya Aya walked to the front of the trailer where he knew the person he wanted to see would be. "Ken..." he dared to say the name before approaching.

It was Ken's turn to stay at the driver's seat, it was highly unlikely that anyone else would be there. Yoji had gone clubbing and Omi was getting ready for an exam, so they could spend some quiet time together. There were a lot of things Aya wanted to discuss with Ken. A lot of things, which included his feelings for the younger soccer player.

But things were not going as Aya had planned. The moment he was within earshot of the driver's area of the trailer, he heard voices.

"...I really don't think it's right to hide something like this from them," Ken protested quietly. He was obviously trying to keep the conversation covert.

Aya frowned. _Hide?_ What could Ken know about Weiss that Aya didn't? He crept nearer as another voice spoke.

"It's for the best, Kenken, It's for everyone's best interests..."

Purple eyes widened a fraction. _Yoji?_

"Demo..."

"Ken," Yoji's voice was serious and this silenced the other youth. "I know you believe that honesty is the best policy, but believe me, this is not the time."

Curiosity killed the cat, but that did not stop Aya from wanting to know more. He drew closer until he was almost under the door. There, he could see a lot of what was happening inside clearly with the side mirror. He saw Ken lower his eyes, not saying anything. Yoji spoke again. "Trust me on this one, ne koi?"

_Koi!_ Aya's mind went blank, then became a flurry of emotions. He knelt there, staring at the side mirror as Yoji leaned closer towards Ken.

"Aa..." Ken replied as his head was tilted up to meet Yoji's anticipated kiss.

_Ken..._ A single tear escaped as eyes wild with pain and frustration closed. He had no idea what he should do. He slunk away, and when he was in a safe distance, ran off on an impulse into the night.

**We used to be together  
Everyday together always  
**  
The brown-haired young man glanced at his redheaded companion uncomfortably. The usually unspeakably quiet youth was now unbearably silent. He didn't say a word when Omi almost dropped a bunch of assorted flowers because of the mob of girls that assaulted him on his way back from the supply store. There was no reaction on his face when a small group of admirers flocked around him as he created a new arrangement for one of them. Usually there would be something ranging from an unnoticeable twitch to a full-fledged glare, but there was nothing.

Hidaka Ken sighed wearily. Frankly, he was tempted to pick up some expensive potted plant, walk up to his companion and drop the blossom in front of his feet. _But that would be uncalled for._ he thought ruefully. _He's entitled to his own moods and secrets behind each of them. It's not like I've been completely honest with him and Omi. I'll just ask him about it. Even Aya needs to talk sometimes._

He looked at Aya one last time before minding his own business, and caught the plum-eyed youth staring at him. "I'll help you close up later," he volunteered. "Work hard, ne?" He smiled encouragingly, thinking it was the only thing he could do, and then went on with his work.

Aya stood there, dumbfounded. Behind him Yoji watched wordlessly.

**I really feel  
Like I'm losing my best friend  
**  
"What's bothering you?"

That voice, it was music to his ears. Aya paused a second from his task of putting the plants away to look at his companion in the eye. Ken was watching him intently, waiting for an answer. He wanted to pour his heart out more than anything, but pride was getting in his way. He wanted to tell the younger man the depth of his affections, confess his love, but the upcoming rejection would be too much. A noncommittal grunt escaped his lips before he could figure out what to do.

Ken sighed. "Look, Aya, I know it's none of my business, but keeping things to your self and taking it all out on missions is dangerous for all of us," he said matter-of-factly.

No response.

What could I say? Aya mentally challenged Ken. I love you but I know you're in love with Yoji? The only reason I'm still here in Weiss despite the fact that my sister is safe is because I don't want to lose you? That I'm wading through hell's shit just for the sake of staying by your side?

"It's not helping you one bit keeping everything bottled up inside."

Aya stepped into the trailer, and deposited a large potted plant inside. What could he say?

Becoming impatient, Ken stomped in after him.

He had always dreamed of the soccer player chasing him, but this was not how he wanted it exactly. Had he fallen for someone else, that other person would have figured out by now that he was in love, but Ken, he was different. He was so naïve and down to earth that he would never, not in a million years, think that anyone would be attracted to him in any way.

"I'm not a mind reader, Aya."

How could Ken look so concerned when he was so hard to get through to?

"Why do you care, Ken? What's it to you?" the redhead demanded in a low deceivingly unemotional tone.

"Because you're my friend, Aya. Because you've always been there for me when I needed you," Ken was talking as if Aya was the stupidest person in the world.

"You asked for my help, I'm not asking for yours. Leave me alone."

The chocolate-haired young man froze dead in his tracks. He reeled a bit as though he'd been slapped.

He mustered up his strength and tried to sound more angry than hurt. "Fine, be that way," he managed to say in a respectably clipped tone. Before he walked away, he added as an afterthought, "Aya, you're the closest thing to a brother that I have. I don't want to lose you. Not this way, not in any way. This is why I care."

Aya finished with the chore of closing up. All of his movements were mechanical. There was nothing on his mind. The gray matter in between his ears had been replaced by lukewarm oatmeal swimming with random memories. Only the thud of the closing trailer door brought him back from the haze of thoughts to reality. As a wave of emotion crashed over him tears began to course down his fine cheeks. He leaned his forehead against the backdoor of the trailer.

Why do I keep on doing this to myself? Why do I keep on hurting him? Why do I keep on hurting myself by hurting him? Is it just because he's in love with someone else?

"Is it my fault or his?" he rasped. "Is it!" he cried out pushing himself away from the vehicle, and ramming his fist into the metal. He pulled back his arm and posed for another strike, but a hand stopped him.

"It's not anyone's fault, Aya."

The enraged Abyssinian spun around. "Yoji."

The playboy held up Aya's captured hand. "I think it's time we talked," he said soberly before dropping the pale hand.

**I can't believe this could be the end  
**  
"We're lovers, Aya."

Those four words crushed the assassin leader's world into tiny little fragments of pain. He wanted to rule what he had seen the night before as a bad dream or some misunderstanding created by an overactive and jealous imagination, but hearing Yoji say those words ruined all that.

"We were given an equal chance with Ken, but the competition ends here," Yoji continued knowing there was no reply to be expected. "I know how you feel about him, that's why I told him we should keep it a secret. Ken would just draw away from all of us if he ever found out that he's the cause of all your pain."

"But why didn't you tell me?" Aya snarled. "I could have given up all my false hopes far before this point! Do you take pleasure in seeing me in pain?"

"I don't." The honesty in the blonde's voice was unbelievable. All the coyness that was part of Yoji's mask had been ripped off at that moment. This silenced the redhead and prodded him to rethink matters. "Would you have reacted differently had we told you sooner? You'd still feel betrayed no matter what."

"So you did betray me so I wouldn't feel so bad because I was right?"

Yoji paled. "Well, I was wrong in that respect, but Ken had nothing to do with this. Don't punish him for what I asked him to do," he finished with more conviction.

A cold wind blew past the two of them. There was nothing more to say. A strange feeling of intuition passed over the two men and they assumed stoic faces.

"I'm surprised to see the two of you out here," a soft alto came out of the darkness.

"There were a few things we had to settle, Manx," Aya kept an eye on Yoji as he spoke.

Manx smiled understandingly at the assassins. "We have a problem."

**It looks as though you're letting go  
And if it's real,  
Well I don't want to know  
**  
"I'm sorry."

Ken raised his head from his arms. He recognized the voice, so he was quick to wipe away the tears that marked his face. He hadn't expected Aya of all people to come out here to talk to him, much less apologize to him. Then again, Aya was his closest friend in all of Weiss. The redhead knew more things about him than Yoji did. If anyone could know when Ken needed someone to be with, Aya would. "How did you find me?" He forced his voice to come out clearly.

Seeing that the soccer player had been crying, Aya frowned. "You expected anything less?" the redhead sat beside the younger man. He had listened to the message before heading out to where he predicted Ken would be. He hadn't wanted to be the one to break the news out to Ken, but it was the only way to start a conversation that he could think of. "Ken..."

"I know, we have a mission," Ken choked out. Aya was about to ask how the other boy knew, but the explanation came out voluntarily. "You have this certain tone in your voice when we do. It's like your business voice." He chuckled dryly.

"It's not exactly a mission, Ken," the leader took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Since when did he have a hard time controlling his emotions? "The Americans are setting up a campaign against us. After we killed Powell and his Rats, they've been forming programs and teams to hunt us down and kill us. It's the end of Weiss..."

"How can you speak about this so calmly!" Ken shouted shooting up from the bench they were on.

Calmly? His heart was close to bursting! "Ken." It came out to solidly. Too impersonally. It came out the way he had always tried it to be, the perfect leader voice. No emotions, no attachments, no fears.

This time, he did it unconsciously, and at a time he didn't intend to do it. When did he internalize this?

"Okay," Ken heaved a sigh, submitting reluctantly to his superior. "Come on, oh great and mighty one, what're your plans? I'm ready to hear them."

His internal debate ended. It was the redhead's turn to sigh. "I...don't know what to do."

Was his voice cracking? How come he didn't have any emotions earlier? How can he have so many emotions now? "I don't know what I can do...what we can do..."

"Aya..." guilt replaced the earlier indignation.

"I only came here to tell you this. You have the right to know..."

Fists clenched, shoulders shaking with silent tears, Ken interrupted him, "I wish I didn't have to."

The tears ripped at Aya the way a thousand sharps knives would have. He rose from where he was sitting and enfolded the younger man in his arms. As Ken gave in to more powerful sobs, the often stoic Weiss leader succumbed to tears. "That's not all you have to know, Ken."

He waited for some sign that the other had hear, but there was none. He decided to continue, though. This isn't the right time, but it's the only chance I have.

"Ken, I love you."

This was most likely the last time they would be together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't speak  
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining  
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts  
**  
Ken pulled away. "But Aya, I..."

"You don't have to give me your answer, now," the redhead began to walk back to the trailer. "We have to get back to the trailer. Yoji and Omi are waiting for you. They called Omi home from night school so we can discuss what we're supposed to do."

"You have to hear this, Aya, I don't want to..."

Aya didn't stop walking. "He's waiting for you, Ken.

He wants to know what you want," in a lower tone, he added. "I don't want to hear what he said from your lips."

"What did he tell you?"

"All that I needed to know."

**Don't speak  
I know what you're thinking  
I don't need your reasons  
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts  
**  
"Where's Ken-kun?" Omi inquired between sobs when Aya got back to the trailer.

The redhead ignored him.

Poor sweet Omi, had no idea what was going on between his teammates, despite the fact that he had to endure all their mood swings. He blinked innocently and turned to Yoji in askance.

"He has a lot in his mind," the playboy responded absently.

Ken finally appeared looking tired and depressed. "So what's on your minds?"

"Siberian. I see Abyssinian has told you," Manx said softly. "Kritiker can't do much for you, now."

The soccer player nodded his head sullenly. Yoji moved over to make room for him on the couch, but Ken chose to stay at the farthest end of the small room, away from the rest. The tall blonde said nothing about this, and made no move or statement to make amends.

"What are their orders?" Aya's voice pierced the uncomfortable silence.

Manx shook her head slightly. "They didn't give any. You have the options of staying together or splitting up. They just want to make sure that you don't expose the rest of the organization."

"You mean we're on our own?" Yoji asked, his tone rising in disbelief. "Is Persia crazy?"

"Manx-san!" Omi cried out at the same time Yoji spoke. Both Ken and Aya kept silent.

Manx forced helplessness out of her voice. "All you can do for now is pray that they don't find you."

A flash of steel and then Aya's sword was across Manx's throat. "The heavens are deaf to the cries of those consigned to hell."

"Aya-kun!" Omi.

"Aya, have you gone mad?" Yoji.

"No, Yoji, I'm just doing what I should've done long ago."

A steely expression remained on Manx's face throughout this ordeal. She stared past the blade and into Aya's purple orbs. "Go ahead, Fujimiya Ran, kill me. But what good will that do? Nothing at best and bring Kritiker after you at worst, but it's definitely not going to help." She stole a glance at Ken.

Aya grunted. "I don't care."

"Then do, it," Manx challenged.

"Aya-kun, let's hear her out first!" Omi pleaded, trying to get the Weiss leader off the informant.

Surprisingly, it was Ken who spoke for Aya. "What's to hear? We're trash, and we'll be burned by the fires of hell, what's wrong with that? Don't you think that's a fitting end?"

"Ken-kun..."

"Snap out of it, all of you!" Yoji called out, becoming the voice of reason. "We haven't been driven into a corner, yet, we can still fight. If you ask me, we have a better chance of surviving together, and all of you acting like deranged children will not help us or our situation!"

Aya lowered the shining blade. "You're right. Kritiker or no Kritiker, Weiss is still Weiss. We are Weiss."

Manx nodded, satisfied. "Then, I'll report to Kritiker your decision. Beginning tonight at midnight, all of your connections with Kritiker will be severed. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Yoji affirmed.

"Fine," Aya snapped.

Omi lowered his head. "Yes."

There was no answer from Ken. After his short speech, he had gotten lost in his thoughts again.

"I'll see you when I see you," Manx left with deceptively friendly words.

**Our memories  
They can be inviting  
**  
"Oi! Aya, some help here," Ken called out as he strolled into Koneko no Sumu Ie carrying a large potted plant. "And smile a bit, while you're at it," he teased as the redhead took the opposite side of the pot.

Aya frowned.

Omi shook his head. "You know, Aya-kun, the smile is supposed to go the other way around."

The girls that surrounded the three boys giggled, their twittering voices irritating Aya more than anything. "I bet you have a lovely smile, Aya-kun," a nameless girl encouraged him. "You could attract anyone with one smile."

"Even just one small one, Aya-kun," another girl pleaded.

Aya ignored them, but he couldn't ignore Ken's soft whisper in his ear. "I wouldn't mind seeing that," he ribbed.

Pale cheeks colored, matching his red hair. It was almost as if Ken was flirting with him.

Several girls squealed noticing this. "Aw! He's blushing!"

"If you're not buying anything, leave," was all that Aya managed, but with flushed cheeks and a racing heart, he wasn't very convincing.

**But some are altogether  
Mighty frightening  
**  
"Ken!"

The wind lashed against their hair and its cold pierced angrily through their wet clothing. Salt water stung the Weiss leader's eyes as he searched the roaring waters for the missing Siberian. "Damn it, Ken, where are you?" he hissed before readying his throat for another round of shouting.

Omi shivered under Yoji's long assassin coat. "Ken-kun was near the support posts of the hall before the explosion," he told them pulling the torn black fabric tighter around his shoulders. "It's possible that he didn't get out."

A few more explosions sent the waters into a more turbulent dance. Seeing that the longer they waited the more danger Ken would be in, Aya began to systematically remove his assassin gear to make it easier for him to move under water. Yoji stopped him. "I don't have time for this, Yoji."

"You're upset and angry. You're not thinking straight."

With that, Yoji ran to the edge of the water and dove into the turmoil of waves threatening to swallow him alive if he wasn't careful.

"Yoji-kun!"

Minutes passed and Yoji did not resurface, or if he did, neither Aya nor Omi chanced upon him. Of course, with the chaos surrounding them, it was close to impossible to pinpoint where Yoji or Ken could be. As each second passed, Aya agonized over what could have happened.

What if the gigantic columns had crushed Ken and killed him even before the water could do anything to him?

What if Schwartz got to him first?

_What if...  
_  
Omi watched him nervously. "You're not thinking about going after them, are you, Aya-kun? It'll be too dangerous for all of us."

Logically, Omi was right, of course, so Aya steadied himself and calmed his nerves. Only his clenched fists betrayed his frustrations and fears.

Sympathy marked the younger assassin's face for a brief moment that ended when above the billowing winds and the crashing surf, he heard police sirens crying out their presence and the urgency of their mission. "Aya-kun, the police are here, what should we do?"

_We can't leave them here...I can't leave Ken here..._

Aya hesitated and pulled out the communicator issued to them for the mission. Just by looking at it, he could tell that the salt water had already short-circuited the system. He stared at it blankly. _...I can't let Ken die without telling him how I feel._

"Aya-kun, we don't have much time!" Omi cried out, getting ready to fight his way past the police if he had to. "I don't want to leave them any more you do, but we can't help them if we're captured here!"

_That's true. Omi, always the logical thinker.  
_  
He held the dead communicator close to his lips. The other person holding a communicator would be Ken, and he prayed that Ken would hear. "We'll wait for you at our meeting place."

With that, he stuffed the device into his pocket and signaled for Omi to follow him. Skillfully, they avoided the searchlights and lived up to the reputation of the namesake cats. The meeting place was an alley at an obscure part of the city. If a mission went awry and they got separated, they always went there to rendezvous. If one of them went missing, a game plan was developed for his rescue. If all was well or if someone was injured, the path back to the Koneko from that alley had long been inscribed on the tablet of their minds.

When Omi and Aya got there, Yoji was already waiting for them, smoking a cigarette. Ken was also there, half-hidden in a protective veil of darkness. Seeing the brown-haired boy wet and shivering, slumped unconscious in the alley stopped the stoic leader's heart. "Ken..." he gasped, too soft for either Omi or Yoji to notice amidst the excitement of that night.

"He took in a lot of water, but he should be okay," Yoji reassured his teammates taking a puff from his cigarette. "I couldn't wait for you, the beach was already crawling with cops, and I couldn't well hold both of our heads underwater."

The marksman handed the taller blonde his coat back. "It's okay, Yoji-kun," he smiled crookedly. "You did what you had to do to save the two of you."

"You don't need this anymore?" the playboy arched a golden eyebrow at Omi.

"It's too long and heavy for me to run in, but thanks anyway..."

_Idle chatter._ Aya crouched over Ken and placed a hand in front of the soccer player's mouth. The warmth of Ken's breath comforted his jarred nerves. _That's right, love, sleep until the day I have enough courage to tell you of the love that is buried underneath the sins of my heart.  
_  
And rain chose that moment to fall.

The tiny droplets touching Ken's face woke him up. And as he stirred, Aya could only sit there, observing, recording the momentous event in his memory. "How're you feeling?"

A soft moan. "I've had worse days."

"You okay, Kenken?" long slender fingers held out Ken's goggles to him. "You scared us back there."

Omi touched Ken's forehead checking for a temperature. Confirming that all was well, he hugged the bugnuk-user and wept softly on his chest. "I thought I'd never see you again."

As Omi and Ken comforted each other in a brotherly embrace, Yoji turned to Aya. "What's next?"

There was no answer to that question. No answer, as of now, anyway. Who knows where fate would lead them this time?

He was willing to bet his soul to the devil that the future would be much darker than tonight.

He looked up at the skies and his tears mixed with the raindrops.


	3. Chapter 3

**As we die, both you and I  
With my head in my hands  
I sit and cry  
**  
The streetlights died out one by one as Aya drove the trailer through the streets. Morning would come soon, he supposed, but not for them.

He stole a glance at the sleeping Omi beside him.What would become of them? What would become of this promising young man? If Omi's future was bleak, then his would be dead. He was a worn out soul. There was a great difference between the futures of a vibrant spirit and a worn out soul.

But for all of them, night was endless.

_It's not fair that we should all end up this way.  
_  
Omi stirred. "Where...?" he mumbled turning sleep-hazed eyes at the redhead.

"It's dawn, it's too early for you to wake up."

The tone was callous and cold, but Omi knew the words were meant. He smiled wanly at the driver. Sometimes, Aya seemed to be the father he never had. "No, I'm fine," he reassured his companion. "But you've been driving all night. Aren't you tired?"

"I can manage."

The fair-headed boy ran a hand through his tangled hair, chuckling softly. "You amaze me, Aya-kun, don't you get bored or sleepy? Driving through the night without anyone to talk to is so dull."

"No," he answered shortly. "Because I think."

"Reminiscing?" A dreamy look passed the younger assassin's rather feminine features. "It's hard to believe we ended up this way, ne? Everything seemed so normal already, like we were settling down."

_We've always been fighting with one foot in our graves, what makes this any different?_ Aya almost said, but tact made him keep his mouth shut.

Omi continued. "But I liked living with Momoe-san the best. Even though we didn't get along very well at that time, and you were new and all...But at least, there we had somewhere to go home to," he paused waiting for a moment to see if Aya would respond. Apparently, the leader was in no mood to talk, so he went on. "Not that I don't think this trailer is a home, home is where the family is, and we're here. The idea of having one path to take, one place to return to after a hard journey is very enticing..."

The young marksman turned to gaze at the view outside. "...especially now."

"We're out of gas," Aya broke into Omi's daydreams. It wasn't that he wasn't listening, but what could he add to that?

**It's all ending  
We gotta stop pretending who we are...  
**  
The trailer's back door felt like a protective barrier to Aya as he stared at it forlornly. All the reason that had fled from him the a few nights before, starting from when he had seen Yoji kissing Ken, came flooding back in a nauseating moment.

Why he had confessed to Ken at such a time...

Why he had attacked Manx...

Why he had passed every single gas station despite the knowledge that their fuel was running out...

..._Because there's no point in running away anymore._ He touched the door handle tentatively. Ken and Yoji had been alone at the back all night, and with Yoji's  
libido who knew what he would find there. He pulled the door open, relishing the click of the lock mechanism.

They could run away from the American army...

They could run away from Kritiker...

He could run away from his sister and his friends...

...But he could never run away from himself.

He had to face Ken's rejection….

He had to face Kritiker's authority...

_I have to face this life long punishment I've received.  
_  
With a soft groan, the back of the trailer welcomed him, inviting him to step in, which he did with no hesitation. At the receiving area of the trailer, Yoji lay on the couch, cigarette in hand. The ashtray on the table held the butts that were witness to what had happened the night before.

Yoji flicked the burning stick in his hand over the overflowing tray. "He's in the video room."

Wordlessly, Aya acted on those words and proceeded into the next room where he found Ken staring blankly at the wide screen. He was watching an old mission tape. Persia's silhouette spoke of some mission that Aya had already forgotten about. The horror of forgetting about a mission washed over Aya. How could he forget about killing someone? He scanned the floor cluttered with old mission tapes. "Ken."

"So this is the end of the road, huh?" Ken stated blandly, his voice lacking even more emotion than it did the night before. It didn't take much brains to figure out what was happening. There would only be one reason to stop, and one reason alone.

"Let it out, Ken." The despicable authoritative note was still in Aya's voice, as usual. He cringed inwardly at the sound of it.

Ken continued to look at the flickering screen. "Let what out, Aya?" there was a slight acid in the way Ken spoke the redhead's name.

_What you've been bottling up inside since last night._

"Can't take it if it isn't you, Aya?" a bitter laugh escaped the soccer player's lips. "Only you have the right to be sullen and silent, is that it?"

_This isn't you, Ken._

Ken turned away from the TV and sauntered towards the Weiss leader, his eyes taking on the look of a madman's. "But I'll have to follow orders, don't I, Abyssinian? It's for my own good, isn't it?" he picked up a can of rootbeer standing by his feet and threw it at the VCR. The remaining dark liquid in the can spilled as it hit the machine squarely on the eject button effectively shutting the Persia on the screen up. "Tell you what," his voice rose a notch with each word until he was shouting. "I'm sick of this! Sick of everyone making decisions for me! Sick of having to follow orders! Sick of how sick I've become!"

"Ken-kun..." Omi stood by the opening of the viewing room, his blue eyes wide with shock at what was happening to his normally amiable friend.

He gestured towards the scattered tapes around them. "How many of these missions can you say you truly remember, Aya? Huh?" he met his leader's gaze. "How many faces can you connect with names? How many of all we've killed? Can you tell me, huh?"

"We were doing what was right, Ken-kun," Omi protested, tears welling up in his eyes, denial stinging his heart like a hundred needles. "We were doing the right thing."

The soccer player laughed coldly. "So killing becomes right, because Kritiker said so," he tossed his head almost loftily. "You know what egotistic morality is, Omi? It's when something becomes morally good because it serves one person, the one person doing it, well. It's just a bonus that other people get pieces of the cake. Crumbs at least."

"Ken, stop this."

"Ken-kun, this isn't you!"

"Damn right this isn't me," the dark-haired boy moved for the door and pushed Omi aside. "My mother raised me not to kill."

Aya went after Ken and grabbed his arm, but Ken managed to tear the limb free of his leader's hand. At that moment, Yoji stood in front of the brunette.

"Out of my way, Yoji," Ken ordered.

Wordlessly, Yoji punched Ken in the gut sending the younger boy to the floor. He looked down at his lover. "I've got news for you, Ken, your mother didn't raise you to be gay, either, are you having regrets about that?"

"That's different," Ken spat out, glaring into Yoji's verdant orbs.

The younger blonde tried to help his friend up. "Ken-kun, we have to move. They've already deployed Special Forces to come after us..."

"Leave him alone, Omi."

Omi reeled back turning questioning eyes at Yoji.

"He has to come to terms with all this by himself. That we were never normal to start with."

Yoji turned his back on Ken and walked to the trailer door. "Come out when he's come to his senses. I'll stand guard."

"Yoji-kun..."

"At times like this, we're just teammates."

**You and me  
I can see us dying ... are we?  
**  
After what seemed like hours, Ken broke down, tears absent, but his breath ragged as though he was crying. He heaved and coughed, but still, nothing came out of  
his closed eyes. When he opened them, they stared blankly ahead, pleading to some unknown god. Omi knelt beside him, rubbing his back, comforting him, but doing little since he needed to be comforted himself and none was offered him.

Aya stood back, watching.

"What is happening to us?" Ken rasped weakly.

"We're being punished," Aya replied coolly. A pair of pleading blue eyes stared into his purple ones. He nodded reassuring Omi that he knew what he was doing. "We've done some things and these are the consequences."

Ken lowered his eyes, the rest of his body following until he was curled up, his head on his knees, his arms hugging himself tightly. Aya signaled for Omi to leave, and the younger boy was quick to comply. When Omi was gone, Aya crouched in front of Ken. As if sensing this, the brunette spoke. "I'm not ready for this. I don't want to die."

"We're all afraid, Ken, the man who isn't afraid of anything is the greatest coward." A white hand lifted a tanned chin up. "Courage is when you face what you're most afraid of. A man without fears can never do that."

"Aya, why are you talking to me right now?"

The redhead smiled a miniscule smile that held only a bitter joy. "What you love is often what you fear the most."

"What do you love the most, Aya?"

"I already told you that."

"I love this life, Aya, I don't want to die."

**Hush...Hush...darling**

"I hope Ken-kun will be alright."

Yoji lit a cigarette. "He'll come unhinged if nothing changes. You know he did lead the most normal life out of all of us. And he didn't choose to become Weiss like the rest of us. My guess is he's still not used to this."

The smaller boy leaned on the trailer they were about to abandon. "First we lose the shop, now we're losing this..." he mentioned idly. Then a thought struck him. "Why were you so hard on him, Yoji-kun?"

"In life you need both a slap on the face and a kiss on a cheek. You can't have only one," he grinned wryly. "I know he won't be getting a slap from either you or Aya."

**Hush... Hush... darling...**

"Let's go."

Yoji and Omi turned to where the voice came from. Aya stood by the trailer's open door, and Ken was behind him, staring at the ground.

"We can enter the woods from here and head further south. When we're a considerable distance from the city, we can choose our path," Aya told them.

"So we move," Yoji said looking straight at Ken, dropping his cigarette and stepping on it while dusting his hands.

Ken nodded and they were off.

There they were, four stragglers, on the path that fate carved out for them. One was heading towards a new future. Another was moving on for love. The third would serve as support. And the last...

...The last was ready to face whatever life had to offer.

**Hush...hush...**

**Don't tell me cause it hurts.**


End file.
